Saturday, December 8, 2012

On December 7th, FDOT District 1 Secretary, Billy Hattaway, responded to BikeWalkLee's Oct. 29th letter on the need for a traffic signal at Briarcliff and Metro Extension. We appreciate the detailed response to our letter and support FDOT's efforts to improve safety through education, enforcement and engineering, as well as bringing attention to land development patterns that enhance walkability and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

We
received your letter on behalf of BikeWalkLee requesting approval and
installation of a traffic signal at the Michael G. Rippe Parkway/Briarcliff
Road intersection. As you know, the Florida Department of Transportation
has completed the traffic signal warrant study for this intersection and it has
met a primary warrant for “wait time” that drivers experience on Briarcliff
Road. The department has approved the installation of thesignal. Along with the installation
of the signal, marked crosswalks and pedestrian features will be included. We
are ordering mast arms and poles for the traffic signal and expect delivery in
about six months. Increased demand for these materials associated with
recovery from Hurricane Sandy is delaying production and delivery. Lee
County will start construction to install the signal next summer and we
estimate it will be operational next fall.

I
would like to address several of your remarks in the letter, including your
perception that traffic signals provide safe conditions for all users of the
roadway. Research shows that traffic signals in place without proper
justification can actually reduce safety at an intersection.
Traffic signals are installed to allocate time to all users (motorists,
bicyclists, and pedestrians) at intersections when conditions don’t provide
adequate gaps in traffic to allow side street users to cross or turn left onto
the roadway. Unwarranted traffic signals create impatience in drivers
whose resulting dangerous behavior becomes frequent red light running.
Even at warranted traffic signals, far too many severe crashes occur, including
fatalities, and rear-end crashes increase, in particular.

......................

As
you and I have discussed several times, the department takes safety for all
users throughout the state very seriously, and we have made significant
progress toward enhanced safety on our roadways during the past decade.
Contrary to statements made in the press, we do not design dangerous
intersections – but we do recognize the need for continued emphasis on safety,
and in February 2013, our Alert Today Alive Tomorrow campaign begins. As
you know, Lee County is one of ten counties in Florida where we will initially
focus on expanding education and enforcement in combination with supplementing
engineering treatments to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety. We need
BikeWalkLee’s support in improving safety through education, enforcement and
engineering as well as in bringing attention to land development patterns that
enhance walkability and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

About BikeWalkLee Blog

This is the official Blog for BikeWalkLee.org. BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County -- streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities.